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WASHINGTON, DC -- The removal of two key Republican players from powerful perches in Washington may clear the way for long-blocked reforms that protect exploited women and that close immigration loopholes that endanger U.S. security.
Members of Congress announced today they are re-introducing legislation (H.R. 5550) to reform labor and immigration laws in a U.S. territory that Representative Tom DeLay (R-TX) and Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff protected from scrutiny for over a decade despite strong evidence of dramatic abuses of women there. DeLay will leave Congress this Friday while still under indictment for money laundering in Texas and Abramoff will enter jail on charges including conspiracy, wire fraud, mail fraud, and tax evasion later this month.
Representative George Miller (D-CA), senior Democrat on the House Education and Workforce Committee, is being joined by Representative Hilda Solis (D-CA), co-chairwoman of the women’s caucus, and Representative John Spratt (D-SC), ranking member on the House Budget Committee, in introducing “The United States-Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Human Dignity Act” to apply basic labor protections and U.S. immigration laws to the Pacific territory.
“Rapid action on this legislation is essential given disclosure of a suppressed report by the Department of Justice detailing threats to U.S security from organized crime and terrorists who have access to U.S. territories thanks to loopholes protected by DeLay and Abramoff,” said Miller, who has long sought reform of the laws governing the U.S. Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). “This report clearly demonstrates that because of the Republican culture of corruption, coercion, and cronyism, Americans are less safe.”
“For years, DeLay and Abramoff used their power and influence and corrupt practices to defend the indefensible,” said Miller. “The House of Representatives failed to stop extraordinary abuses of poor women guest workers in the textile and tourism industries in the Marianas despite overwhelming evidence documented by the federal government, Congress, the news media and other sources.”
DeLay and Abramoff arranged for appropriations, organized campaign contributions, led tour groups of members of Congress and their staff, and directed money to questionable charities to solidify their power in Washington. In doing so, they ignored well-documented threats to American security, criminal activity, violations of labor law, forced abortions, and human trafficking.
“They were running a protection racket,” said Miller. “DeLay and Abramoff protected the Marianas garment industry from congressional scrutiny and were rewarded handsomely for it with trips, lucrative contracts, campaign money and more. The most exploited women in the world, and the American legislative process, paid the price.
“DeLay used his office to block Congress from considering our bipartisan reforms. He told key committee chairman not to hold hearings on these abuses. The bill we are introducing is a test of whether that protection racket continues today.”
The protection of the abusive industries in the Mariana Islands was part of what the Washington Post recently described as a “criminal enterprise being run out of DeLay's leadership offices.” DeLay extolled the Saipan garment industry as “a perfect petri dish of capitalism” that should be replicated in the mainland U.S. as well.
“I hope that the House Resources Committee will immediately schedule hearings on this legislation,” Miller said. “Not only are the reforms needed to protect workers there, but they are needed so that Congress’ overall changes to federal immigration law do not overlook this gaping opening that the Justice Department tells us can and will be exploited by organized crime and terrorists.”
Additional Information:
- Statement by Representative Miller
- Legislative and Political Timeline of Republican Inaction on Issues Affecting the CNMI
- Background Information on the bill
- Bill Summary
- Bill Text (pdf file)
- Letters to Chairman Pombo, Speaker Hastert, and Majority Leader Boehner (pdf file)
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